Antony Szmierek is a rising voice in the UK music scene, blending spoken word, hip-hop, and indie influences to create a distinctive sound that resonates with audiences. Known for his introspective lyricism and laid-back yet captivating delivery, Szmierek has built a dedicated following through tracks that feel both deeply personal and universally relatable. As he gears up for the release of his debut album and an extensive UK/EU tour, we caught up with him to talk about his creative process, inspirations, and what fans can expect from this exciting new chapter.
Antony Szmierek by Zak Watson
Q: Your debut album “Service Station At The End Of The Universe” is set to release on February 28. Can you share the inspiration behind the album’s title and does it have a further meaning?
“It’s a Douglas Adams rip off, ‘The Restaurant at the End of the Universe’… Which felt like a good theme to bring it all together.”
“I spent a lot of time in service station’s being on the road and like the mundane… cheap horrible service station’s.”
Q: With the making of the album was there a defining moment in which you knew it was finished, was it a lyric or a feeling?
“There is a temptation where you feel it’s never really finished.” “The last two tracks we did on the album were the first and last track on the album… I wanted them to be like book ends.” “Doing those last two were the ones that tied it together, after that I was just desperate to get the album out.”
Q: With performances scheduled across various cities, including your European shows in the likes of Paris, Cologne, and Amsterdam, how do you anticipate different crowds or prepare differently for international performances?
“The thing that keeps performing enjoyable for me is seeing different crowds… music’s always been my big hobby and its different wherever you perform, I don’t like playing gigs that feel like I’m staying on the tracks, the same setlist every show and say the same things.”
“We just went on tour with Faithless around Europe, and I remember we done a show in Slovakia, and I could tell the crowd didn’t have a clue what i was saying but they loved the music.
Q: Transitioning from the Manchester spoken word scene to music, how has your background in poetry influenced your songwriting and performance style?
“I found it difficult to call myself a poet. You see loads of videos of people and put on this voice and I sort of didn’t want to be associated with that.”
“I met loads of poets and MC’s in Manchester and really enjoyed the performance aspect of it and when trying it for myself in like 30 capacity venues, i thought it would be great to add a beat behind it and create music.”
Q: Your music often highlights the beauty in everyday life. What is your creative process when it comes to finding this inspiration?
“Genuinely the best ideas are the ones that sort of whack you over the head… for example the Stockport Pyramid I drive past near enough everyday, or ‘Rafters’ is that one bit of confetti you see falling from the ceiling from the gig the night before and thought that would be a good narrative for a song.”
Q: You’ve collaborated with various producers and artists on your upcoming album. How have these collaborations shaped the sound and direction of your music? Further on this question who is your dream collaborations for future releases?
“It was more so me giving specific direction for the sound… often bring in a list of influences like I liked the guitar in a Stone Roses song and wanted to incorporate that into a dance record.”
“The one I did with ‘Jacana People’ its called ‘Twist Forever’ which was sort of ambient, expansive house which might not of been something I would’ve done on my own but I love it and its a big part of the live shows now.”
Q: Further on this question who is your dream collaborations for future releases?
“Ewan McVicar and really make a heater, a balls to the walls heater… and i don’t want to be nailed down to one genre… i’d love to work with some of the big electronic artists like Four Tet and really go into that dance world.”
“But I’m still really into indie, and would really would’ve loved to work with Jarvis Cocker even further down the line… I’ve always said Jarvis on like a future project or rework.”
Q: Reflecting on your journey from poetry performances to releasing an album and embarking on a tour, what have been the most significant challenges and rewards?
“The whole journey is challenging to be honest, in a way, I was a high school English teacher for 5 years and that’s like a real job and not many people leave it. I feel like being a musician is equally as tough, it’s one of the only jobs where the pressure is this music, if you fail everyone can see it… If a song doesn’t stream everyone can see the numbers.”
“The rewards are what everyone sees, playing the shows people knowing your music and that sense of community is mental… It’s like the best night of your life but you’re conducting it.”
Q: Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for your music career beyond this tour and album release? Are there any new directions you’re looking to explore?
“I think yeah, the thing with music is you feel it can always be taken away, you always feel there is 10 other Antony Szmierek’s who came about last year, I think of myself as a writer so that is something I am looking into doing, I would want to do a novel.”
“There is some stuff I’ve been working on that I can’t quite announce just yet… that will come to light later in the year. I’d love to write for people… help some band write some music and help with the tunes.”
Q: One final question, 10 years from now what would be the one thing you want people to remember/ learn from this album?
“From this album i’d like it to be a place, a physical place, that people go back to and remember this time. People return to and remember a certain time in their lives and this moment.”
“The lyrics are clever enough that people put their own meaning to, I want it to be woven into the fabrics of people’s lives which I know is a big ask.”
“I feel a lot of things will make sense when the album is out, there is a few different sides to it I’m happy to see it come out.”